Wet Chap

ABSTRACT

A protective cover for covering a leg of a user may include an elongated tubular protective covering for covering a portion of the leg and shoe of the user, the protective covering including a passageway for the leg and shoe of the user, a first material gathering portion corresponding to the ankle of the user, a second material gathering portion corresponding to the upper edge of the protective covering and a third material gathering portion corresponding to the lower edge of the protective covering. The first gathering portion may be positioned on the front of the protective covering, and the first gathering portion may be substantially horizontal. The second gathering portion may extend around the periphery of the protective covering, and the third gathering portion may extend around the periphery of the protective covering. The protective cover may be formed from water impervious material, and the first gathering portion may include elastic.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to articles for protecting a user's pantsand shoes from soiling and more particularly pertains to a lower leg andfoot cover for covering the knee and lower leg regions of a user's pantsand the front of the user's shoes from soiling and soaking.

BACKGROUND

The use of articles for protecting a user's pants and shoes from soilingis known in the prior art. More specifically, articles for protecting auser's pants and shoes from soiling heretofore devised and utilized areknown to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structuralconfigurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by thecrowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment ofcountless objectives and requirements.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,178,924 discloses an elongated tubular protective coverfor a cast enclosed body limb portion is provided and at least one endof the protective cover is open and includes an elongated flexible sealband of water impervious material carried by one end of the cover andfor wrapping about that end and the adjacent limb portion disposedoutwardly of the cover in an edge overlapping spiral manner in order toform a fluid tight seal between the cover and the adjacent limb portion.The cover includes inner and outer telescopingly engaged tubular memberconstructed of flexible fluid impervious material and the inner tubularmember includes features rendering it pervious to air flow therethrough.Also, at least one moisture absorptive spacing member is disposedbetween the outer and inner surfaces of the inner and outer tubularmembers. A first form of cover is closed at the end thereof remote fromthe flexible seal band whereby the terminal end portion of a body limbmay be fully enclosed within the cover and a second form of cover isopen at both ends with each end equipped with a flexible seal band.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,555 discloses a lower leg and foot cover forcovering the knee and lower leg regions of a user's pants and the frontof the user's shoes from soiling and soaking. The lower leg and footcover includes a knee cover which is coupled to an upper end of aflexible lower leg cover. A flexible shoe cover is coupled to a lowerend of the lower leg cover. Flexible straps are provided for securingthe knee cover and the lower leg cover to the wearer's leg.

SUMMARY

A protective cover for covering a leg of a user may include an elongatedtubular protective covering for covering a portion of the leg and shoeof the user, the protective covering including a passageway for the legand shoe of the user, a first material gathering portion correspondingto the ankle of the user, a second material gathering portioncorresponding to the upper edge of the protective covering and a thirdmaterial gathering portion corresponding to the lower edge of theprotective covering.

The first gathering portion may be positioned on the front of theprotective covering, and the first gathering portion may besubstantially horizontal.

The second gathering portion may extend around the periphery of theprotective covering, and the third gathering portion may extend aroundthe periphery of the protective covering.

The protective cover may be formed from water impervious material, andthe first gathering portion may include elastic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a protective cover of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another protective cover ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the protective cover of thepresent invention being positioned to cover a leg and shoe of a user;

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the front of the protectivecover of the present invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates another cross-sectional view of the front of theprotective cover of the present invention;

FIG. 6 illustrates another cross-sectional view of the side of theprotective cover of the present invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of the protective cover of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of the protective cover of the presentinvention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities that care for theelderly and sick, caregivers may have to provide for washing of thepatients. It is usually unwieldy and may be unsafe for these patients tobe placed in a bathtub to be washed. Likewise, these patients may not beable to stand by themselves in a shower in order to be washed. Underthese circumstances, a typical procedure is to place the patient in achair in a shower or other area that may be drained. The caregiver mayuse a hose which may be flexible and which is connected to a watersupply on one end and connected to a showerhead on the other end. Thecaregiver is now able to apply soap and water on all sides of thepatient. While this procedure may be satisfactory for the patients, theresulting splash from the patient may adversely affect the caregiversclothes, particularly, the lower surface of pants and the upper surfaceof the shoes of the caregiver.

Since the safety of the caregiver should be given consideration, thebottom surface of the sole of the shoe of the caregiver should be ableto contact the floor/shower floor (the support surface) in order toavoid slipping on the wet and soapy floor. Extending a protective coverover the bottom surface of the sole of the shoes of the caretaker mayresult in a tripping hazard. The present invention provides an elongatedflexible tubular protective cover 100 that may be adapted to allow thesole of the shoe of the caregiver to contact the floor of the area wherethe shower is being given. The protective cover 100 may extend to thelower leg region or alternatively may extend above the knee. Theprotective cover 100 may be for protecting the wearer's lower leg regionand the wearer's shoe from soiling and splatters such as from soap,water, splashes, precipitation, paint over-spray, and even cement andplaster splatters and spills. The protective cover 100 may be formedfrom flexible or semi-rigid, water impervious material such as plasticor other appropriate material. The protective member 100 may besubstantially L-shaped when being used as illustrated in FIG. 3 andmaybe shaped as a elongated tubular device and may be formed from asubstantial cylinder as illustrated in FIG. 1 or may be formed from atruncated cone shaped object such as illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the protective cover 100 which mayinclude a leg covering portion 101 which may cover a portion of the legand a shoe covering portion 103 which may cover the upper and sidesurfaces of the shoe of the caregiver. The protective cover 100 mayinclude a bottom aperture 105 to allow the bottom surface of the shoe ofthe caregiver to be exposed to the support surface 107 which may be afloor or ground. The upper aperture 108 is connected to and defines apassageway 106 which may extend to be connected to the bottom aperture105. The protective cover 100 may include a material gathering portion109 which may be adjacent to or at the interface between the legcovering portion 101 and the shoe covering portion 103 in order togather excess material of the protective cover 100 which may be atripping hazard for the caregiver. The first material gathering portion109 may be elastic material which may be sewn into the protective cover100 and may be substantially horizontally oriented and positioned tocorrespond and to cooperate with the ankle of the caregiver. The firstmaterial gathering portion 109 may only extend around a portion of theperiphery and may expand in order to allow the shoe of the caregiver topass through and then may contract in order gather the material of theprotective cover 100 together to prevent it from becoming a trippinghazard. The protective cover 100 may include an upper aperture 109 toallow the foot and leg to be placed into the protective cover 100. Thetop edge 111 which may be defined by the upper aperture 109 may includea first peripheral substantially fluid tight seal 101 (as illustrated inFIG. 4) between the top edge 111 and the leg of the caregiver. The topedge may include or be adjacent to a second material gathering portion113 which may be elastic material which may expand to allow the shoe andleg to be inserted into the leg protector 100 and contract in order toform the substantially fluid tight seal 101. The bottom edge 115 may bedefined by the bottom aperture 105 and may include a second peripheralsubstantially fluid tight seal 117 (as illustrated in FIG. 4) betweenthe bottom edge 115 and the side of the shoe of the caregiver. Thebottom edge 115 may include or be adjacent to a third material gatheringportion 119 which may be elastic material which may expand to allow theshoe to be inserted into the leg protector 100 and contract in order toform the substantially fluid tight seal 117. The bottom edge 115 mayextend beyond the bottom surface of the shoe or may extend to the bottomsurface of the shoe or may extend to the side surface of the shoe.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a front view of the protective cover 100 whichmay include a leg covering portion 101 which may cover a portion of theleg and a shoe covering portion 103 which may cover the upper and sidesurfaces of the shoe of the caregiver. FIG. 4 additionally illustratesthe leg 201, the foot 203 and the shoe 205 of the caregiver. Theprotective cover 100 may include a bottom aperture 105 to allow thebottom surface of the shoe of the caregiver to be exposed to the supportsurface 107 which may be a floor or ground. The protective cover 100 mayinclude a material gathering portion 109 which may be adjacent to or atthe interface between the leg covering portion 101 and the shoe coveringportion 103 in order to gather excess material of the protective cover100 which may be a tripping hazard for the caregiver. The first materialgathering portion 109 (and the second material gathering portion 113 andthe third material gathering portion 119) may be elastic material whichmay be sewn into the protective cover 100 and may be substantiallyhorizontally oriented and positioned to correspond and to cooperate withthe ankle of the caregiver. The first material gathering portion 109 mayonly extend around a portion of the periphery and may expand in order toallow the shoe of the caregiver or user to pass through and then maycontract in order gather the material of the protective cover 100together to prevent it from becoming a tripping hazard. The protectivecover 100 may include an upper aperture 109 to allow the foot and leg tobe placed into the protective cover 100. The top edge 111 which may bedefined by the upper aperture 109 may include a first peripheralsubstantially fluid tight seal 101 (as illustrated in FIG. 4) betweenthe top edge 111 and the leg of the caregiver. The top edge may includeor be adjacent to a second material gathering portion 113 which may beelastic material which may expand to allow the shoe and leg to beinserted into the leg protector 100 and contract in order to form thesubstantially fluid tight seal 101. The bottom edge 115 may be definedby the bottom aperture 105 and may include a second peripheralsubstantially fluid tight seal 117 (as illustrated in FIG. 4) betweenthe bottom edge 115 and the side of the shoe of the caregiver. Thebottom edge 115 may include or be adjacent to a third material gatheringportion 119 which may be elastic material which may expand to allow theshoe to be inserted into the leg protector 100 and contract in order toform the substantially fluid tight seal 117. The bottom edge 115 mayextend beyond the bottom surface of the shoe or may extend to the bottomsurface of the shoe or may extend to the side surface of the shoe.

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the protective cover 100 which mayinclude a leg covering portion 101 which may cover a portion of the legand a shoe covering portion 103 which may cover the upper and sidesurfaces of the shoe of the caregiver. FIG. 6 additionally illustratesthe leg 201, the foot 203 and the shoe 205 of the caregiver. Theprotective cover 100 may include a bottom aperture 105 to allow thebottom surface of the shoe of the caregiver to be exposed to the supportsurface 107 which may be a floor or ground. The protective cover 100 mayinclude a material gathering portion 109 which may be adjacent to or atthe interface between the leg covering portion 101 and the shoe coveringportion 103 in order to gather excess material of the protective cover100 which may be a tripping hazard for the caregiver. The first materialgathering portion 109 may be elastic material which may be sewn into theprotective cover 100 and may be substantially horizontally oriented andpositioned to correspond and to cooperate with the ankle of thecaregiver. The first material gathering portion 109 may only extendaround a portion of the periphery and may expand in order to allow theshoe of the caregiver to pass through and then may contract in ordergather the material of the protective cover 100 together to prevent itfrom becoming a tripping hazard. The protective cover 100 may include anupper aperture 109 to allow the foot and leg to be placed into theprotective cover 100. The top edge 111 which may be defined by the upperaperture 109 may include a first peripheral substantially fluid tightseal 101 (as illustrated in FIG. 4) between the top edge 111 and the legof the caregiver. The top edge may include or be adjacent to a secondmaterial gathering portion 113 which may be elastic material which mayexpand to allow the shoe and leg to be inserted into the leg protector100 and contract in order to form the substantially fluid tight seal101. The bottom edge 115 may be defined by the bottom aperture 105 andmay include a second peripheral substantially fluid tight seal 117 (asillustrated in FIG. 6) between the bottom edge 115 and the side of theshoe of the caregiver. The bottom edge 115 may include or be adjacent toa third material gathering portion 119 which may be elastic materialwhich may expand to allow the shoe to be inserted into the leg protector100 and contract in order to form the substantially fluid tight seal117. The bottom edge 115 may extend beyond the bottom surface of theshoe or may extend to the bottom surface of the shoe or may extend tothe side surface of the shoe.

FIG. 7 illustrates a bottom view of the protective cover member 100 ofthe present invention and illustrates the bottom aperture 105, thebottom edge 115 and the third material gathering portion 119. FIG. 7additionally illustrates the bottom surface of the sole of the shoe 205.

The present invention may be used to cover a cast positioned on the legor foot or both.

FIG. 8 illustrates a top view of the protective member 100 of thepresent invention and illustrates the top aperture 108, the top edge 111and the second material gathering portion 113.

The tubular elongated protective cover may be formed from a sheet ofplastic or other water impervious material, and the sides of the sheetof plastic may be welded or joined together by a appropriate device toform a hem which may extend horizontally on the back side of theprotective cover.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by wayof example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It shouldbe understood, however, that the description herein of specificembodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particularforms disclosed.

1) A protective cover for covering a leg of a user, comprising: anelongated tubular protective covering for covering a portion of the legand shoe of the user; the protective covering including a passageway forthe leg and shoe of the user; a first material gathering portioncorresponding to the ankle of the user; a second material gatheringportion corresponding to the upper edge of the protective covering; anda third material gathering portion corresponding to the lower edge ofthe protective covering. 2) A protective cover for covering a leg of auser as in claim 1, wherein the first gathering portion is positioned onthe front of the protective covering. 3) A protective cover for coveringa leg of a user as in claim 1, wherein the first gathering portion issubstantially horizontal. 4) A protective cover for covering a leg of auser as in claim 1, wherein the second gathering portion extends aroundthe periphery of the protective covering. 5) A protective cover forcovering a leg of a user as in claim 1, wherein the third gatheringportion extends around the periphery of the protective covering. 6) Aprotective cover for covering a leg of a user as in claim 1, wherein theprotective covering is formed from water impervious material. 7) Aprotective cover for covering a leg of a user as in claim 1, wherein thefirst gathering portion includes elastic. 8) A protective cover forcovering a leg of a user as in claim 1, wherein the second gatheringportion includes elastic. 9) A protective cover for covering a leg of auser as in claim 1, wherein the third gathering portion includeselastic.